


Sleepless

by F1_rabbit



Series: Effortless [1]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 03:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3513650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico and Kevin are struggling to sleep before the Australian gp, but for two very different reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleepless

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zeraparker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zeraparker/gifts).



Nico's half a world away, a completely different time zone, slowly pacing around his hotel room. He tells himself that it's jet lag, and maybe that's some of it, but mostly it's the weight on his soul of a lost friend; hoping they'll come back, come back and join them.

It's been over five months since Jules' accident. Reminders of him are everywhere, photos in the factory from when he was their reserve driver, news articles surfacing every month with no new information that only cause Nico pain, poking at his wounded soul.

Jules is such a lovely person that the hole he leaves is immense; they became close when they worked together, same with Paul, but this is different. Paul's only a phone call away but Jules… he's somewhere else altogether.

Usually he's the happy one, always a joke ready to put a smile on someone's face or a kind word to brighten someone's day. Nico's realised though, by always being happy, that no-one's there when you need cheering up yourself, so he's pushed all these feelings down into the pit of his soul and let them fester.

There was a little relief to be had when Jules got to go home to Nice, but since then all he can do is pray.

*****

Kevin wasn't meant to be here, preparing to race. Mentally he's been in holiday mode ever since he found out he was being sacked, _demoted_ , in December. Yes he's been doing work on the simulator, but it's not the same. Even in the factory he's felt like an outsider, the odd one out, at least Stoffel has GP2 to keep him occupied this year.

It's now or never. Alonso can't race so he's got to step up, fill in. He's only had one day in the actual car and he only managed 39 laps; it's barely half a race distance. This race might be his only chance to show them that he can do it and yet with the car; he'll be lucky if he makes the finish line. It all just seems so unfair. He doesn't want his last race in f1 to be like this and for all he knows this might be his last race.

Kevin's thoughts keep swirling around his head, gathering speed like a tornado, he knows it's worthless worrying about things he cannot control but he just can't stop focusing on it.

*****

Kevin's on his way to the pool, water has always been calming to him, as a little boy he used to love nothing more than sitting on the beach and watching the waves wash over it. If nothing else a little bit of exercise might make him tired enough that he'll be able to get some sleep.

The pool's open 24 hours and it's 2 a.m. so he should have the pool to himself. The last thing he expects to find is Nico sitting by the edge of the pool with tears running down his face.

Kevin's torn between going over to comfort him and just leaving, he hasn't seen him yet, but he can't leave until he's sure he's okay. It's the right thing to do he tells himself.

He sits next to Nico and they sit in silence for a long while, Kevin luxuriating in the sound of the water sloshing against the edge of the pool, calming his errant thoughts and soothing his soul.

Tears slowly stop falling from Nico's eyes and Kevin offers him his towel.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kevin asks slowly, although they raced together last year they've never really spoken.

He can see Nico trying to compose himself; pulling up the shield that he has to stop the world seeing him as a human being with feelings, rather than the media friendly driver that he lets them see.

Nico can see Kevin staring at him, staring into his soul, and for the first time in a long time he feels like he could actually talk to someone, no pleasantries or small talk, about how he feels.

"It just feels wrong to be here without Jules," he says and the floodgates open, all the things that he was hiding gushing out, he couldn't stop them even if he wanted to. It feels so good to release it all until his soul is light again.

Kevin's happy to listen to Nico talk, it's nice to feel useful, and it also puts everything in perspective for him. There really are much bigger things to worry about than one race, he'll do his best as he always does and he'll work as hard as he can to get more races. Once Nico stops talking Kevin can see that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

Nico has no idea how long he's been talking for, Kevin hasn't said a word, just comforting noises to let him know that he's listening, that it's okay. He's also not sure how he ended up cradled in Kevin's arms, feeling secure in his embrace.

"Thank you" Nico says graciously, his cheeky smile starting to make an appearance.

"Anytime," Kevin says, and he means it. Nico's smile grows and if Kevin had known Nico a little better he'd have known that that smile meant he was up to something. So it was a complete surprise for Kevin when Nico dragged him into the pool, the water enveloping them both, washing away their fears and worries.

When they both come up for air they look like different people to the ones that came in earlier.

They splash around in the pool like children, enjoying their temporary freedom from responsibilities, until other guests start to come in for their early morning swim.

They scurry back to Nico's room but they can't sleep now, they'll never beat the jet lag if they sleep all day, so they spend the day together keeping each other awake. Talking endlessly about nothing and everything.

As the sun sets Kevin says he should go, back to his own room, to get some sleep.

"Stay," Nico says quietly, so softly in fact that Kevin thinks for a minute he might have imagined it.

"Please?" Nico adds and with that Kevin wraps the duvet around them, rearranging it as Nico rests his head on Kevin's chest, allowing Kevin to wrap his arms around him.

"Sweet dreams," Kevin whispers, placing a kiss on Nico's forehead.

"Sweet dreams," Nico echoes back, and they both get a peaceful night's sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Jules we are always thinking of you #ForzaJules


End file.
